Vulcanizing device



Dec. 8, 1931. L o. GRANGE VULGANIZING DEVICE Filed Jan. 8, 1930 2Sheets-Sheet Dec. 8, 1931. o. GRANGE 1,835,296

V VULCANIZING DEVICE Filed Jan. 8, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 -LEO o. GRANGE,or CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, nssrenoiz. T WALTER J. .mnnn'r'r, or

Patented Dec. 8, 1931 UNITED STATES] PATENTOFFICE.

cAeo, ILLINOIS vULoANIziNG DEVICE Applicationifiled January 5, 1930;SerialNo. 419,247.

My invention relates to a vulcanizing device and particularly to avulcanizing device or means for vulcanizing automobile casings. Oneobject of my invention 1s tllBPIOVlSl'OI] of a vnlcanizing meanswhich islight andv readily removable, but which conforms rigidly to the exteriorof the tire and permits as accurate and rapid vulcanization as takesplace in large and'heavy fixed vulcan zers,

Another object is the provision of a vulcanizer of such light weightthat it may besupported upon the-tire, and that it maybe movedwiththetire-either before, during or.

provision of means for securing directly to.

and about a tire, of a vulcanizing shell, without the addition or use ofa heavy fixedstructure, additional castings and the like.

Another object is the provision ofa vulcanizing device of maximumlightness.

Other objects will appear fromtime to time in the course'of thespecification andclaims.

I illustrate my invention more orless dia-V grammatically in theaccompanying drawings, wherein- V Figure 1 isa'side elevation;

Figure 2 is a section on the line 2-2 of Figurel; and

Figure 3 is an elevation, with the addition of ail-electrical wiringdiagram. I

Like parts are indicated by like'symbols throughout the specificationand drawings.

Referring to the drawings A generallyrindicates a tire or casing havingthe tread portionA and the bead portion A. I 1

B indicates any suitable filler, such as an air bag, for example, whichconforms to the interior of the casing, as shown in Figure 1.

0 generally indicate's'a tire engaging form f or shell preferably of amaterial or metal which readily transmits heat, suchfor example asaluminum. It may be formed as at C to conf'orm'to the desired treadcontour of the tire being treated. Itis shown as provided at its upperedges with outwardlyexdicate closure members for the top of the shell C,whichconform to the exterior of a portion of the casing, including thehead portion A which may have laterally extending'flanges C which maymeet, as shown in Figure 2;

Positioned about the exterior of the shell C,

is any suitable heating means herein shown as the resistance heating;pad generally indicated as D.' The memberD includes anin ner resistanceheating portion D which includes theresistance wires D which-may beimbedded ormountedin any suitable in- 5 combustible insulating means DExterior to the heating element proper is a layer of theheatof theresistance wires directly into the shell. D. is any suitable exteriorsurfacing, which may be of thin and relatively flexible metal,,or' thelike, and which is shown as terminating at its upper edges in beading orabutment members D?. The beading maycontain a wire 1). "Adjoining thebeading D the member D may be apertured as at D .v

E indicates a locking abutment adapted to engage'the flanges C above;described. E is a screw or compression member passing through the memberE and preferably in screwthreaded relation therewith. E indicates anysuitable square or hexagonal member, whereby the member E may be roheatinsulating means D adapted todrive tated to direct compression againstthe lock- 7 ing abutment E The result of such locking action is to drawthe member E upwardly away from the casingand to exert tension uponthemembers E, E, whereby the heating pad isdrawn upwardly about theshell C and the shell C is locked firmly againstthecasing by thedownwardthrustof theinembers C V and the upward drawing movement of the hooks E.The result is the firm securing, to a casing, of a light shell,surrounded by a light heating means, the two together being of suchweight as to permit the ready movement of the tire before and after theheating operation.

In the employment of the device, and in its application to a tire, itmay be convenient to have a supporting means. I therefore provide astand generally indicated as G, which includes side elements G andsupporting feet G the supporting feet at each end being connected, ifdesired, by transverse connecting webs G having the lugs G through whichmay pass any suitable locking bolt or means G The upper edge of eachside member G is shown as generally arcuate, as at G, and at a levelsubstantially lower than the level of the flanges C when the tire andshell are mounted on the stand. The tire is actually supported by theupward extensions G at each end of each side member G these upwardextensions Gr having inward lugs or flanges G adapted to receive thebeading D.

It will be seen, as in Figure 1, that these members G G are preferablyout of lateral alignment with the locking hooks E, whereby the tire,shell and heating member, may be conveniently supported upon the standG, permitting ready locking and unlocking of the shell and heating meansfrom the tire. As seen from Figure 1, more than one locking means may beemployed, preferably at least two, and the low upper edge G of eachmember G permits the positioning of these various locking means withoutinterfering with the support. 7

Referring to Figure 3 the tire, once the heating means has been securedthereto, may be removed from the stand G, if a number of tires are beingprepared for treatment'in succession and the tires may be leanedagainst'a wall orsuspended or positioned in any desired manner. Figure 3indicates a tire leaning for example against a wall surface H. H Hindicate flexible electric conductors extending from the heating means Dto any suitable control panel generally indicated as H This controlpanel may have mounted upon it a thermostat H For example I may employ aresistance connection 11 H through such thermostat, such resistanceconnection being adapted to heat the body H of the thermostat. When thethermostat control element has reached a predetermined heat, it mayoperate a relay H and break the actuating circuit through the conductorsH In such case the time and temperature of the thermostat H is made tooperate 21 definite relation to the desired time of treatment of thetire, or to the desired temperature to which the tire is raised. It willbe understood that I do not wish to be limited to any particulargoverning means or control means for my resistance heating element, butthe above forms a practical and convenient heat controlling means.

In the employment of my invention I may provide a considerable number ofdifferent shells C, which may be made of different sizes or of differenttread tires, each individual shell being adaptable for the treatment ofone particular tire or tread. I prefer to employ, with these shells, oneor more heating elements, such as herein disclosed, which elements maybe employed selectively with a plurality of different shells. In generala smaller number of heating elements may be necessary than the totalnumber of shells provided. A garage might, for example, have 20 or moreshells and have available for simultaneous employment only 4; or 5heating pads. The heating pads, being relatively flexible, and beingdrawn up about the exterior of the shells, they may be employed withshells having a considerable variation in size. For example the padshown in Figure 2, if used with a somewhat larger shell, might notengage the upper flanges C but the clamping effect will still beeffective, the heating pad would be firmly clamped against the exteriorof the shell C, the shell itself will be firmly thrust against theexterior of the casing, and the members C in response to the compressionexerted by the screw E would hold the casing firmly in position in theshell.

In order to permit the use of one or more heating pads or unitsselectively with a larger number of shells C, I may provide a pluralityof shells the exterior diameter or size of which is uniform or almostuniform, while the interior may be varied in radius as well as incontour to fit and treat various sizes and shapes of tire. Thisdispenses with the necessity of employing adaptors or separate andremovable inner or supplemental shell ele ments.

Where but a single tire is employed at a time, it may be left in thestand G for treatment, or several stands may be employed, to receivesimultaneous treatment of several tires without the necessity of theirremoval. But where a large number of tires are being simultaneously orsuccessively treated, it is a convenience to be able to lift the tiresfrom the stand and suspend them upon or lean them against theirsupports, thus freeing the stands G for the primary task of initiallysupporting the shells and heating means while the tires are being fixedthereto.

It will be realized that whereas I have described and shown a practicaland operative device, nevertheless many changes might be made in thesize, shape, number and disposition of parts without departing from thespirit of my invention. I therefore wish my description and drawings tobe taken as in a broad sense illustrative and diagrammatic means for theexterior of said rather than as limiting me to my specific showing.

I claim 1. In a vulcanizing device for automobile tires, an interiorsupport for such a tire, a relatively thin heat conducting shell adaptedto conform to the exterior of the tire, a flexible and freely removableresistance heating shell and unitary means for clamping said shell aboutand against said tire and for clamping said resistance heating means tothe exterior of said shell.

tension member,

2. The structure of claim l characterized by the employment of a supportadapted removably to receive said vulcanizing device.

3. The structure of claim 1 characterized by the employment of outwardlyextending flanges along the upper edges of said shell adapted to engagethe upper edges of said resistance heating means.

I. In a vulcanizing device for automobile tires, an interior support forsuch tire, a relatively thin heat conducting shell adapted to conform tothe exterior of said tire, bead plates positioned within said shell andadapted to overlie said tire, a flexible and freely re-,

movable resistance heating means about the exterior of said shell andunitary means for thrusting said bead plates against the tire, fordrawing the shell upwardly against the tire, and for clamping saidresistance heating means-t0 the exterior of said shell.

5. The structure of claim 4 characterized by the provision of abutmentmeans at the upper edge of said resistance heating means, clamping meansadapted to engage said abutagainst and about said shell and heatingmeans.

Signed at Chicago, county of Cook and State of Illinois, this 2ndday ofJ anuary LEO O. GRANGE.

. downwardly ment means and a clamp element adapted to I and forsecuring said heating means about I said shell, said means including anexterior flexible tension member adapted to surround shell and heatingmeans, drawing said flexible tension member about said heating means andshell, includingoutward projections at the upper edges of the engagesaid outward projections, and com pression means interposed between saidclamp element and the tire, adapted to apply tension to the edges of thetension member and i to cause compression ofsaid tension member andmeans for.

a clamp element adapted to.

